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Fall 2009 Day 2 - User Interface Techniques and Technologies

Fall 2009 Day 2 - User Interface Techniques and Technologies

Sept 29, 2009

UI/navigation enhancements

What is included in uPortal?

  • JQuery libraries
  • JQuery effects
  • Fluid components

3.1 optimizes the download - improved caching
There are ways to add your own libraries.
The libraries are cached for 10 years but they are referenced by version explicitly.
uPortal Javascript/CSS is cached for 30 minutes.

One problem is having too many tabs. Options:

  • Carousal
  • Revise information architecture
  • Filtering
  • Contextual search
  • Use without putting in the layout
  • sub-tabs

The existing flyout menus are old and should be replaced by another library.

We should make it easier for schools to add (and share!) UI enhancements to uPortal.

How do schools vet designs?

Some schools use wire frames.
It may be more important to vet the information architecture, since the visual components (colors, fonts) can be distracting.
Have a small group with appropriate authority make the decisions on appearance.

User Testing

One school did some informal user testing using static html pages. "A box of pizza and a couple laptops."

Others have brought users into a lab setting and had them step through a series of exercises. These settings can be biased if there is a particularly strong voice in the group.

There are tools (Silverback, online card sorting) that can help with user testing, recording key strokes, recording faces. Even using paper wire frames can be helpful.

One school invited volunteers from campus and had 25 people meet every two weeks through the course of the project.

Good design

Jakob Nielsen http://www.useit.com/ has some tried and true guidelines.

Usability goals

Have schools had goals? Measurable success metrics?
User satisfaction can be measured and tracked over time.
Support phone calls is one valuable metric.
Portal usage metrics can be valuable (gross as well as specific).
You may be able to tie metrics to how much it would have cost to not have things in the portal or not automated.
You can track what people remove from their layout to help identify what is not successful.

Portal role in communication

Students don't want to be spammed.
The portal role in communication is increasing.
It is desirable to allow users to say they are not interested in particular topics yet the institution still wants to push information out.
It is important to give users choice in how they receive information.
Pull, push/optional, push/required.
Good to delegate the communication.
Departments often feel that their information has to be pushed to all, but many students are not interested. It is hard to get compromise.
There is some value in pulling communications into one spot.
New students indicate it is hard to determine what information is important.
A good information architecture, highlighting important information, is key.
Having users involved in the creation of communication can help.

Where are ideas coming from? What should be in the portal?

Look at what is being used elsewhere (e.g., Facebook, google apps).
It is difficult (impossible?) for campus portals to replicate popular apps, social networking.
Creepy tree house effect - students don't view campus portal as cool, fun.
Campus portals should focus on campus mission.